Episode 3: Thanksgiving Showdowns and Standout Stars

Emily

Hey everyone, welcome back to This Week in Blue & White! It's Emily here — your hockey-obsessed guide through all the action. Hope you had an awesome Canadian Thanksgiving, or at least got in a good turkey nap. Alright, let's hop right in, because the Marlboros gave us a game against North York that basically had me pacing around my living room. Seriously, if you missed this one... you missed a classic.

Emily

So, final score, Marlboros 5, North York Rangers 4 — but, wow, those numbers barely tell the story. Right from the jump, both teams were going full tilt. North York comes flying out, two goals on just six shots and, for a second, it looked like Toronto might be rattled. But our Marlboros — honestly, this group is so resilient — answered right back. First period ends with it still close, 2–1. And, let's talk about Lynkin Heath for a sec. He was in the zone making those big stops against his old team, and you could tell he had a little extra motivation. Facing your former club? That's a pressure-cooker, but he delivered.

Emily

Second period, the Marlies woke up big time with 19 shots to North York's 11 — that's gotta wear down even the best defense. They finally broke through and snatched the lead, 3–2. Oh, and then, the third period was just — I mean, chaos in the best way. Goals trading back and forth, both sides pushing, hits flying, and the Marlies just getting that late surge to seal the win. It was almost dead even on shots too, 49 to 50, but the Marlboros really took care of business when it mattered. And look, Lamming? That's a dude on a mission — two goals plus an assist, a total stat sheet monster that night. Challenger — that energy? Absolute pest in the best sense, forechecking hard, making plays, totally fearless. The faceoff guys were sneaky-good too, winning those key draws, especially late.

Emily

I gotta say, this one kinda brought me right back to my own playoff days in youth league — you know that feeling when nobody wants to blink first, energy is nuts, and you’re just waiting for the ice to tilt one way? Man, I remember being in those games. It's nerve-wracking, but so fun — unless you're the goalie, maybe. So yeah, pure drama, pure grit, and a huge win for Toronto.

Emily

Alright, let’s keep rolling, because after that emotional rollercoaster, the Marlboros weren’t done. Fast-forward to Sunday, and they roll into a showdown with the Jr. Canadiens. I always think these games feel kind of like mini finals, with all that Toronto rivalry steam, you know? Mancino, Ryan and Lamming all facing their former team and the building was buzzing from puck drop. And the Marlies? They just went off, really. Final score: 6–3, but honestly, it felt even more dominant than that.

Emily

Early on, it was tight — both teams with chances, first period ends all tied at one. But then, second period, Marlboros started throwing everything but the Zamboni at the net. Eighteen shots, pressure everywhere, and then — bang — they punch in a couple big goals and take over. Probably the toughest moment? Lucas Young leaves with an injury. You hate to see it, especially with how solid he'd been in net to start the game. But then Lynkin Heath, no stranger to dramatic entrances, steps in—makes some pretty crucial saves, keeping everyone calm. It almost felt like one of those classic NHL moments when a backup comes in and just owns the crease.

Emily

The whole team was buzzing, and, man, Challenger was on fire — two goals, two assists, and he didn't miss a shot all game. Eight shots, eight on target. That's just... like, video game numbers. Talk about efficient. Plus, Thompson chipped in a goal and an assist, and Hanson — we're gonna talk about him more in a bit — also added two points. So much depth on this roster, which, as we talked about last episode, is what separates good teams from great ones.

Emily

Hutchison and Heine each got huge goals, and how about that penalty kill? Duke, George and Leung were absolute warriors, blocking lanes, hustling. By the end, it was 43 shots for the Marlboros to just 24 for the Jr. Canadiens. #88, Zettas & #11 Ryan, each picked up one assist but were anchoring the defense. I mean, by the numbers: 60 total shots, 36 from high-danger spots. Four even-strength goals, one on the power play, one shorthanded. Expected goals were way up there too, like nearly double what the Canadiens had. This was the definition of a statement win — all lines clicking, everybody hungry, and that sense of ‘yeah, we’re here to run the table.’ If you love team hockey, this was your kind of night.

Emily

Now, as much as team play is the heartbeat of this group, you know we have to shine a spotlight on a couple of stars. Today, it’s Adrian Leung and Andrew Hanson — two guys who, honestly, are so much fun to watch on the ice and have some pretty awesome stories away from it. So first, Adrian Leung — brains, brawn, big dreams. This kid, his number one goal is to play in the NHL. Not shocking, right? He brings a ton of hockey IQ, and I heard if he could have any superpower, he’d go with teleportation. Makes sense, right? He wants to see the world, and actually, England’s his dream travel destination. Off the ice he’s apparently into NHL 25, which, I get it, who isn’t? Plus his go-to pump-up track is “Miami” by Morgan Wallen. On the ice, he patterns his game after Miro Heiskanen — so, all about that slick D but with offensive pop. He’s tough, wins a lot of battles, just a really smart player. And, yeah, a little extra physicality never hurts, either.

Emily

On the flip side, Andrew Hanson is a total force of nature. His style’s inspired by prime Ovechkin, which, like, who wouldn’t want that cannon of a shot and that kind of presence? If Andrew could pick a superpower, he’d go with flying. I love that, because you can see it in the way he moves on the rush — always looking for that next gear, wanting to jet past everybody. He’s dreaming of Greece for his future travels, and when he’s not crushing it on the rink, he’s apparently all about 2K26, the game, not the year. He hasn’t settled on a warm-up song yet, but hey, it’ll come — we might have to suggest a few bangers for him.

Emily

You know, it kinda cracks me up thinking about pre-game routines. For me, I always had to have the right playlist before games, otherwise, it felt like I was stepping onto the ice in two left skates. One time my entire warm-up got derailed because my headphones ran out of battery — I was basically singing to myself in the hallway. So, I definitely get why guys like Leung and Hanson have their game-day habits. It’s those quirks that make hockey culture so fun.

Emily

Alright, that wraps it for this week’s episode. Two massive games, a couple of standout stars, and lots more to come as this Marlboros team keeps rolling. Thanks for hanging out with me on This Week in Blue & White. Make sure you hit subscribe so you don’t miss any of these stories or the journey to the GTHL Championship. Until next time, keep your skates sharp and your playlists louder — see you next week!